Author's Note: Oh gosh, thank you for all the wonderful responses! Please enjoy this chapter, even though it is slightly shorter!
Chapter 2- Justice, Lovers, and Death
The name's Gai, Kurosawa Gai. I'm a hardcore Private Detective with a thirst for action. From corrupt politics to cheating husbands, I'm there when the big people need help. Nothing scares me, I am the elite of the elites. No job is too big for Kurosawa Gai. Not eve-
"Mitsukichi, look at how soft he is!" Kiko said suddenly and pushed a cat into Gai's face.
"GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!" Gai screamed and flailed his arms to get the cat away from him while Kiko laughed.
"That's what you get for smoking without a window open again!" she said, obviously pissed at the lit cigarette on Gai's ash tray. Gai glared at his assistant angrily and jumped to his feet.
"And don't call me that name, you flat-chested squirt!"
"Keep up the sexual harassment and I'll sue, you pervert!"
The scenery flashed by as the train rode down the tracks like a bullet. The sunlight intruded into the train, making the sleeping passengers stir. In one train car, January sat across from December as she slept silently. Her eyes slowly opened and she blinked in the sunlight to see December in the same position he was in ever since boarding the train. December had his legs up against his chest as he bit his fingers nervously, his eyes wide and crazed.
"Unforgivable..." he murmured repeatedly while January stretched in her seat. December paid her no heed as she put her hand into her bag and took out a deck of tarot cards. January placed the deck down on the table separating the two, and December perked up. He hurriedly reached for the deck and let out a deep sigh, his fingers gently running over the backs of the cards. January leaned back in her seat and stared at the table before speaking up.
"The visions again?" December's hands trembled slightly before he nodded once while arranging the cards on the table. January looked at the cards, whose edges were worn from continuous use. The backs of the cards had speckles of blood on them, and only December knew whose blood it was. December finished arranging the cards and leaned back in his seat. January continued to stare at the cards and then slowly poked the card closest to her. December glanced at the card she chose and rubbed his forehead to get rid of his sleepiness.
"I always get them when I'm away from the coffin," he said quietly and turned over the card January chose. He stared at it before placing it back down face-up. January looked at the card while December scratched his head. "Justice, a fitting card for a contractor," he murmured and flipped over the two cards touching January's, "and here we have The Lovers on the right and Death on the left. Hmm..."
January looked to December, who was staring at the cards intently. She didn't believe in what the cards said, and neither did December. January found it reasonable though to just go with the flow whenever it had to do with December.
"What do they mean?" January asked in a monotonous voice, as she really didn't care what they meant. December shrugged calmly and shuffled the deck back together before arranging them again.
Kirihara tapped her fingernails against the steering wheel of her car. On the passenger seat, her bag moved slightly and Mao popped his squirrel head out to look at her. Kirihara didn't take her eyes off the road as the light turned green and she pressed down on the gas pedal. Mao crawled out of her bag and sat calmly on the seat.
"Searching for phantoms instead of Izanami will only get you in trouble," Mao stated, and Kirihara pursed her lips slightly before turning the wheel to go down a different street.
"Did you know Izanami was alive?" she asked and Mao shook his furry head. Kirihara cast a quick glance at the rodent contractor before slowing down at a red light. Mao looked at the light and then back at Kirihara.
"Hei won't be found so easily. There's only so few places he could go without being caught," Mao stated reassuringly. Kirihara clicked her fingernail against the wheel and looked at Mao.
"Like where? Do you know where BK-201 is now?" she asked and Mao shook his head.
"I only have a guess," he said and Kirihara pulled the car over so she could concentrate on Mao. Mao scurried into the bag so nobody saw him while Kirihara took out a book to pretend to read it.
"What's your guess?" Kirihara asked without looking away from the book. Mao poked his head of the bag with some seeds in his hands.
"Hei would go somewhere with little to no people around, as most of the world is after him. Under normal circumstances, Hei would most likely go to China, but since that's where he and Yin were caught last time, I doubt he would return so soon. Another likely spot would have been Russia, but he's wanted there, so they'll be extra careful in searching people entering the country," Mao explained and Kirihara nodded slowly as a police cruiser passed by.
"And the CIA are after him too, so he can't hide in the US either. It seems the only place he could hide is here in Japan," Kirihara said and Mao nodded before gnawing on a seed. Kirihara narrowed her eyes and closed her book with a snap. Mao perked up as she took her cellphone out and hurriedly dialed a number. Mao watched silently as Kirihara put the phone to her ear.
"Hello?" a voice on the other end asked.
"Yes, I am Ichinose Yayoi from MI-6, I'd like to purchase a train ticket," Kirihara said calmly, using her alias and downright lying about the MI-6 part. Mao watched her in slight puzzlement as she waited for the person on the other end to reply.
"Would you like tickets to the same destination?" the person on the other end asked, and Kirihara paused for a second.
"Same destination?"
"Yes, just a few hours ago two people from the same company as you booked train tickets-" the person started to say calmly, and Kirihara froze in shock.
"Where are they heading?" she shouted into the phone and started the car up immediately. Mao jumped as the car suddenly started moving forward.
"U-Um, l-let me check..." the person on the other end said nervously, scared from Kirihara's shout. Mao peeked out of the bag to see Kirihara grit her teeth tightly together. She pressed down hard on the gas pedal and the car rocketed forward.
"There's only one place in Japan BK-201 could hide without being seen at all..."
December and January both perked up as the train intercom came to life and crackled.
"Good morning, passengers, we'll be reaching Sapporo, Hokkaido in just a few moments. Please remember to take all luggage off the train as we are not liable for lost or stolen property. Thank you very much for riding Cassiopeia, and have a good day," the intercom said before cutting out. December grinned and slipped his tarot cards into his coat pocket before he and January stood from their seats as the train began to slow down.
Hei slowly opened his eyes and sat up from the hard floor, his back and arms sore from the restless night earlier. He glanced over to look at Yin's face and stood up. Hei stretched his arms and legs silently and with a last look back, went to the kitchen to make breakfast. As soon as the door clicked closed, underneath the blanket, Yin's finger twitched.
December smiled from ear to ear as he hugged his coffin, even with people staring at him weirdly. January didn't care as she was crouched nearby, staring at a cat that was staring at her. December heaved his coffin up onto his back and looked over at January, who had stood up and kicked at the cat.
"Oi, don't go hitting them just cause you don't like them," December muttered, "you'll make a scene." This was said despite all the stares December was getting for carrying around the black coffin on his back. The two walked out of the train station, and January turned before plunging feet-first into the nearby river. December smacked his palm against his face as people stared at the river in shock. January returned to the surface of the water and walked out as if she had done nothing strange. Soaking wet, January shook herself off and took a towel out of her bag. As she dried herself, the people watching slowly walked away to avoid any strange glances from January. December took the towel from January and looked at her calmly.
"He's here," January said plainly and December's hand holding the towel trembled as he grinned madly. He chuckled happily and crumpled the towel before chucking it away.
"Hide and seek is over... BK-201...!"
